The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-11-16
TRAINED FOR THE BALLET
How Stage-Struck Girls Are Easily Pro-
cured for Such Performances.
The Harsh Treatment They Are Compelled to
Submit to for the Sake of Appearing
Before the Foot-Lights.

carrying large company for the purpose, find
it less expensive and quite satisfactory to
train girls for the performance in the cities
where they show. This is the plan followed by
Bolossy Kirafy the production of Dolores"
The company has carried no ballet girls for six
years, and yet many OF the people who attend
the performances would be willing to risk some
thing on their judgment theatrical critics that
the ballet is a professional one. The company
employs professional ballet-trainer. His name
is John Hasslen. He went, or was taken. on
the stage when he was four years OF age, and
has been connected with il ever since Six
years ago he began training girls for the ballet
Last Thursday he reached Indianapolis, and be-
gan operations by inserting the following adver-
tisement in the papers:
Young WOMEN wANTED-Young women of
i attractive appearance to take part in Kiralfy's
great production of Dolores" Report at rehearsals
at Grand Opera house Sunday morning at 10 o'clock
and Monday evening at o'clock.
The first day brought quite a number Of ap
plicants. but they were nearly all of unat-
tractive appearance. They not accepted,
and the advertisement was continued. Satur-
day and Sunday brought great many new ap-
plIcants. and from among these the most at
tractive were selected. Several times as many
girls desired have been turned away
A Journal reporter climbed up the narrow stair
way leading to the rear of the stage, last night
to witness rehearsal of these stage struck
girls. Twenty five of the giddy creatures were
lOunging upon the stage furniture waiting for the
drill master to call time on them. Besides the
girls there half dozen men, who had
been admitted to the rehearsal All CT the
girls present had not been retained for service.
OF the twenty five half dozen or more had come
up with the hope that some of the number already
chosen would back out" and give them
chance to realize their longines for even four
nights of stage life. The majority of the girls
were attractive. In age they ranged from fifteen
to twenty-fy years. 1t was evident that they
were there solely because they were all badly
stage struck. theater attache who
had been curious enough to make
some inquiries about the girls said they were
from families of responsibility, and that some
of them were there without the consent of their
parents. The actions of few of the girls be-
trayed their fear of exposure, for they closely
watched the only unlocked door. and scanned
carefully every stranger who entered. Once
after the drill had begun a mother who had
been informed that her daughter was among
the number being trained popped into the door,
looking for her wayward GIRL but she did not
find her there. and went away looking as il she
felt omewhat easier.
There some disappointment among the
new applicants for employment when at the
call of trainer Hasslen, all the girls who had
consented to go into the ballet formed in line.
but they still remained, in the hope that some
them a chance afS.r all. Trainer Hasslen had
hardly begun his duties before it evident
that he had very disagreeable job and the
girls an unpleasant task to perform. The drill
many cattle, and frequently fired off his COM
mands with explosives that were both inelegaut
and profane. He was cross and grabbed, per-
haps because he had to be- The more he
scolded, the more the girls giggled. and then he
threatened to discharge them all and pick a new
lot that had some common sense"
His first work of the evening training the
eighteen girls to form a pyramid At first they
were timd about elm bling the shaky stools. but
few sulphurous commands from the trainer
made them brave and they awkwardly mounted
to their positions. Over and over. a half dozen
times. the pyramid was formed, and then the
girls were shown how to form a semicircle
The greatest difficulty the trainer experienced
was in getting them to retire from the stage with
graeefulness- Some would go with hop step
and jump; others would drag their feet along,
and some would turn their backs to the audience
and walk away. He impressed upon them that
the back should never be turned to the audience,
and that they should always go backwards
the play it becomes necessary for two of tho
ballet-eirls to leave the stage the
arms of one of the male characters Two bright
faced girls, not past sixteen were assigned to
the duty, and Mr.. Hasslen volunteered to be-
come the escorted person. The girls bushed.
and stood back from their duty, but another
them forward, and timidly they embraced him
and waltzed him from the stage. Throughout
the rehearsal there were many amusing things
and some incidents that excited pity for the
young creatures. They subjected to all
sorts of abuse for their failure to move and act
like people accustomed to the stage, but they
seemed to think the pleasure OF the Work would
be more than worth the hardshlps endured, and
never returned a word.
When tine drill was concluded and Mr.. Hass-
len dismissed the girls for the evening, many of
them gathered around him, and were profuse in
their thanks to him for his kindness in giving
them "a chance to appear just once on the
stage"
do you ever have any trouble in getting
girlsl" asked Journal reporter of Mr. Hasslen,
after the drill
NO" said he; in most cities we have to turn
FAr~ Vka%1 Ia h.l Il,
cult to girls in Indianapolis. but, in all
cities, there seem to Se plenty of them here who
anxious for the work The eighteen girls
have here are the best in many respects ever
succeeded in securing before. They are hand
some and apt to learn"
''Is difficult to prepare the girls for the per-
formance in the time allotted your
Sometimes it is. very It depends alto
gether upon the class of girls l succeed in get
ting. Occasionally get lot Of numb-skulls
that could not be taught to make a decent ap
pearance on the stage in year. I find the girls
of the West much easier TO train than those Of
the East, and in every way better class OF
girls"
what class of girls usually answer your ad-
vertisements2"
"They are usually nice girls. If we know it
we will not accept improper characters, but, of
course, they impose The girls
ally struck and try hard to learn. After
the final performance they are worse stage
struck than ever, and in every city many. beg
US TO give them permanent engagements"
what do you pay tnem!'
They get but fifty cents per night, or two
dollars for the four performances. The pay is
no item to them, and could easily get
them for nothing. if we wanted them, but we do
not think it is right to ask free services"
The Same Combination Reversed.
Denver Republican.
Although the Democrats carried Indiana and
Connecticut in 1884. any well-informed member
of the Democratic party must admit that they
are both doubtful now. The enormous gains of
the Republicans in Massachusetts, indicate that
a similar change of sentiment regarding Cleve-
land may have been developed in Connecticut.
In Indiana the Democrats have lost terribly by
the death of Hendricks. His influence in thas
State was very great Even If there were
other reasons to conclude that the Democrats
have lost ground in Indiana, the loss of the in
Huence of Hendricks In favor of the Democratic
tick would make that State doubtful.
But it is well known that in Indiana there has
been great dissatisfaction with Cleveland A
year ago, at the time of the defeat of Morrison
in Illinois and the narrow escape of Carlisle in
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